


resolve

by kosy



Category: Archive 81 (Podcast)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Drabble, Episode 28, F/M, Getting Together, Season 3 episode 6, takes place during the dream
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-14
Updated: 2020-07-14
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:54:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25267960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kosy/pseuds/kosy
Summary: Reciprocity isn’t even a question for her. Honestly, the fact that they each know where the other stands almost makes it more difficult.
Relationships: Christine Anderson/Lou
Comments: 24
Kudos: 26





	resolve

**Author's Note:**

> this is a divergence bc they are 15% less pathetic and repressed here than in canon! thanks for reading, i hope you enjoy <3

Somewhere in the area of what Chris thinks is maybe the fourth year, she gives it up for a lost cause. 

Not the ambergris. She isn’t a total shithead. She knows why she’s here.    


She gives up on The Lou Thing. 

She’s been calling it The Lou Thing in her head since around the second year of the whole ordeal, mostly because calling it anything else would mean putting actual labels on it, and it was objectively easier to just choose to place everything that happened with Lou into a mental box labelled The Lou Thing and drop that box off the side of the Irons.

But the issue with that is that Lou is everywhere in her life. He wakes her up every morning with the same obnoxious  _ shave-and-a-haircut _ knocking pattern on her door and sits across from her eating breakfast and seeks her specifically out during the day to bitch about the latest way the Irons is breaking down and keeps her company when it’s her turn to take watch. He maneuvers himself to her side every time when they’re fighting off pirates but mostly doesn’t step on her toes. He lets her talk about Earth. He talks back. 

Also, there are the infrequent-but-still-notable aborted declarations of love and too many almost-kisses for Chris to even count. She very carefully tries not to think about those. Reciprocity isn’t even a question for her. Honestly, the fact that they each know where the other stands almost makes it more difficult. 

At any rate, somewhere around the fourth year, she gives up on repressing it or whatever the fuck else she was trying and failing to do. Instead, she barges into Lou’s bedroom, marches over to where he’s going over maps at his desk, grabs him by the lapels of a leather jacket that is and always has been way too cool for him, hauls him to his feet, and kisses him. 

“Sorry, what?” he croaks out around ten seconds later. “I feel like I’ve. Missed something.” Eyes still closed and lips still half-parted, and Chris’ heart physically aches for somebody for maybe the first time in her life. She tries not to feel too pathetic about it. 

“I was being fuckin’—stupid. I don’t know. Just—” She looks at him desperately, hopes he’ll fill in the blanks for her. “I’m tired of not—” Chris sighs harshly, impatient with herself more than anything else. “I’m still leaving at the end of all this. I can’t just dip out on my brother. I need to see it through. But I just think—I mean, isn’t it worth it? To be happy just for a little?” 

“Yeah, it’s—of course it’s worth it. With you, anything’s—” His eyes are open now, and he shakes his head. “You’ll want to come back, right? When you go?” 

She shifts her weight. “I mean. I hope. I don’t usually… remember my dreams. So.” 

“Oh,” Lou says quietly. “Oh.” 

“I don’t know, dude. It’s like—either way, I’d rather be happy than not happy.” She snorts. “Groundbreaking, I know.” 

“Yeah.” He looks at her warily. “Are you sure about this?” 

“I wouldn’t have done it if I wasn’t sure,” she snaps, then makes a conscious decision to soften her voice. “I’m… mostly sure. Sure enough.” 

“I just—I don’t want to fuck this up, Chris.” 

She sighs. “I know. Me neither, just… rain check? Can we talk about it later?” 

His mouth pulls sideways, but he nods. “Sure, that’s—that’s fine.” 

Chris grabs his arm, and Lou exhales hard like she’s kicked him in the chest or something. “Lou. Seriously. I’ll come back to you, alright? I’ll come back to all of you. Let’s just—have this. Alright?” 

“...Yeah. Yeah. Okay.” 

“Do you trust me?” 

Lou doesn't even hesitate. “Of course I do.” 

**Author's Note:**

> thank you again for reading! you can expect a longer fic soon; this was just me playing around with their voices and trying to get into the rhythm of writing for a different fandom than usual :) comments and kudos always make my day if you're inclined to leave them, and you can find me on tumblr @naverlee. thanks once again!


End file.
